


Gaining Innocence

by Power_Of_Universe



Category: Hannibal (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark!Creature!Cannibal!Deaged!Harry, M/M, Past Child Abuse, mention of rape, swearings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 16:52:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1395175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Power_Of_Universe/pseuds/Power_Of_Universe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Waking up in an unfamiliar place and gaining a new 'body', Harry was thrust into another world by the Gatekeeper of the Veil. Harry now known as Henrikas, have to survive in the new world as he obtains his memory that was suppressed by his so called loving 'family' and 'friends'. He never thought that he will see familiar faces along the way. Dark!Creature!Cannibal!Deaged!Harry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Gatekeeper

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there. This is my first fiction so, please be nice to me! I’ve just finish watching Hannibal series and I must say. It. Was. Epic. Oh my god. I love the cannibal bromance between them. And I ship Hannigram/Lecham! They are made to be together! Don’t you think so? I haven’t watched the movies yet, maybe in this next month or so and I can’t wait! Okay, that’s aside. This fic that I try to write is an AU, where Harry Potter will be the main character. Of course, like any other fics, there’s a twist inside. I know that many people don’t like crossover, but I will try to do a good one. Reviews are highly welcomed. And English is not my main language so please forgive the grammatical errors.

“Hey.”

 

“Wake up.” Poke. Poke.

 

Harry groaned. _Who the hell did that poking..._

 

Poke. “How long are you going to sleep?” The voice seemed annoyed. “Hey!” Poke. “I’ve got no time for this!”

 

“WAKE UP!” Jab.

 

“OWWWW!!” Harry hissed in pain as his side was jabbed by something sharp. “What do you that for?!” He asked angrily before realising he didn’t where he was. Harry blinked. All he sees was darkness. Total blackness. _What the...am I still sleeping?_ “Where is this?”

 

A cough caught Harry’s ears. A boy, perhaps a ten year old was staring at him. He has white hair and a pair of cat-like yellow eyes. Harry didn’t like his eyes gazed at him. It felt like he saw right through him. _Creepy..._

 

“It’s not nice to say creepy to the person who saves you, you know.” The boy looked offended. Harry frowned. He did not say it out aloud. How can he hear it? “Cause I can.” Harry stepped back. Okay, that was a bit unnerving. It was weird enough to wake up in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar face. Now, there was a boy who can read his mind.

 

“Who are you?” Harry asked suspiciously. “Where am I? What did you do to me?” He eyed the sharp stick the boy was holding. Is that the thing that he used to poke him with? No wonder it hurt! The end of the stick practically pointy enough to make a hole out of his body.

 

The boy looked at him amused. “I’m Gatekeeper! You can call me GK.” The boy shook his hand vigorously. _When did he get so close to me? And where did that stick go?! Did it just vanish or something?_

 

“As for your other questions, Harry..” GK said slowly. Hands still not leaving Harry’s. “You are on the other side of life, the death. You fell... or should I say jumped, into the Veil. And now you are dead.” He said seriously.

 

“WHAT?” Harry shouted. Veil? He didn’t remember jumping into one. Why would he do that? That was suicide!

 

“Just kidding!” The boy grinned before releasing his hands from Harry’s hand and Harry sighed in relief. “About the death part anyway. The others were true.” He stated in a matter of fact.

 

“WHAT?” Harry shouted again. “What do you mean by I jumped?!”

 

“Geez, no need to shout. I can hear you.” The white-haired boy said irritatedly. Harry bowed his head in shame. “Anyway, you decided to jump after you betrayed by your so called loving ‘family’ and ‘friends’. It was funny though, to see they tried to catch you, but at the same time wanted to let you fall.”  GK snickered.

 

“Betrayed?”  Harry’s eyes widened in disbelief.

 

“Ya. Something about you being kidnapped when you were a child.”

 

“Kidnapped?” He parroted. “When I was young?” His minds reeling at the words GK said. Why didn’t he remember any of this, then? And the boy said something about betrayal. Did his family betrayed him to the Death Eaters of something? Why didn’t he know about this?

 

“That’s because they did something to you. Your mind mostly.” GK said.

 

“My mind?” Harry asked in disbelieved. “No, no no no no no no. You got the wrong guy. My family loves me.” He said defensively. Of course. This must be a trick somehow. Yes! A trick by Voldemort. How dare he mess up with his dream! But somehow, in the back of his mind, he believed that it was really happening.

 

“No, Harry. I’m sorry, but this is real.” GK shook his head. “I’m real. You’re real. We’re in the Veil.” He said honestly. “Actually, I didn’t think that your mind can take it after what they did to you. You’re much stronger than I give credit for.” He smiled softly.

 

Harry still reluctant to believe the boy. “How can I know what you said is real?” He stared at the cat-like eyes. “What if you just lying?”

 

The white-haired boy stared at him. “You don’t. But you can choose what you believe.”

 

There was a long silence before Harry decided to speak. “I... trust you. I don’t know why, but I don’t think you would lie to me even though we’ve just met. Not anything serious, no.”

 

GK smiled. “Thank you.”

 

“Did...did you know what they did to my mind? You know, my...family..?” He asked awkwardly. The Gatekeeper’s eyes hardened and for a split second Harry could see the fury in his eyes. Why is he so angry?

 

“Yes.. They, suppressed your memories.”

 

“Can you lift it?” Harry asked, curiously.

 

GK looked at Harry again. Something unreadable surface on his face. He looked sad and reluctant to answer his question. It was weird that the boy can jump from the happy to serious to defensive in a split second. It’s like he can’t control his emotions. _Like a child..._

 

“I’m not a child.” He hissed. “And to answer your question.. Yes. I can remove whatever constricting your memories.”

 

Harry looked hopefully at the white-haired boy. “You can?!” He wanted to know the truth. He wanted to know why he jumped into the Veil. He wanted to know what the betrayal is about. And he will get his answer if he can gain his memories back. “Can you lift it for me?”

 

GK shook his head. “No. The memories will be forced on your mind. The burden of gaining suppressed memories  can make you insane or worse, _kill_ you.” Harry gulped when he saw the yellow eyes glinted in the darkness.

 

“Well... if I decided to jump, then. Maybe... maybe that’s because I wanted to die?” Harry asked.

 

GK frowned. “Perhaps..”

 

“Then, it wouldn’t matter, right. I wanted to know what pushed me until I decided to die. It must be something very painful. I want to know.” The green-eyed teen said determinedly.

 

“Don’t you afraid of knowing that someone betrayed you?” GK asked curiously. Harry blinked. Yes. He was afraid. Actually, he didn’t want to know at all. But he wanted to understand.

 

“Yes. But I’m more afraid than not knowing that someone betraying me.” Harry chuckled humourlessly. “So, can you help me, GK?” He asked.

 

GK sighed. “Of course. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you, though.” Harry nodded. “Oh yes, before I forgot. Your personality will probably take 180 degrees when you get your memories back.”

 

“What?” Harry asked, shocked.

 

“That’s because the one they suppressed were your real personality, not this one you had right now. I guessed when your memories back it will assimilate with your current one.” GK explained.

 

“You mean I’m not me?” Harry asked again. Shocked by the revelations. Not only his memories were suppressed, his family also betrayed him. Now, he’s not acting like him? Is that why he was so conflicted with himself? Harry chuckled bitterly at the misfortune that befall him. _Really, it sucks to be me._  

 

“Harry?” GK asked, concerned. “Did you already lose your mind?” Harry shook his head.

 

“No. It’s just there’s always something new I learnt about myself that is quite shocking. Next, you tell me I’m not a human or something.” He joked. That’s hilarious. He is a human. Don’t question it.

 

The Gatekeeper eyes widened in surprise. “I didn’t tell you? You are not completely human, Harry. In fact, you are a cannibal.” Harry stilled his body. Not human. He was not a human! Oh Merlin! He’s a cannibal! A man-eater! That’s worse than Death Eater! His eyes rolled back and he went limp before falling down.

 

“Harry?” GK looked at the unmoving body in front of him before sighing. “That’s just great. He fainted.” A sharp pointy stick magically appeared in his hand. The Gatekeeper smiled mischievously as he watched the unconscious Harry.

 

“Now I need to wake him again...”


	2. Memories

Harry feels content. If this is a dream, he never wanted to wake up from it. He never felt this peaceful before, it seems like the air was easier to breathe and the warm feeling that he felt was making him very sleepy. Yup. He never wanted to wake up. Harry buried himself deeper into the soft of the material he was being put upon, cotton or silk, it didn’t really matter as it felt so damn good on his skin! His mind slowly drifts into a slumber when he heard a soft gentle voice.

 

“ _Wake up, sleepyhead. It’s sunshine already._ ”

 

 _Who?_  The voice chuckled when he made a muffled sound. No. He didn’t want to wake. It felt so nice! He didn’t want to let go of the feeling of being cocooned with a bundle of warm things.

 

“ _Come on, wakey wakey._ ” The person said in a singsong voice. It was weird how familiar the voice to him. It doesn’t sound like Lily, his mother, but the voice was much more than that... like more motherly.

 

“ _Open your beautiful eyes, honey._ ”

 

Harry reluctantly complied, and shut his eyes for a moment as the brightness made his vision all fuzzy. A bare of seconds passed when he saw the shadow looming in front of him. It is a very gorgeous woman. Her dark long wavy hair contradicts her pale milky white skin. Her face was an inched closer to him and he was surprised to see the beautiful green eyes, much like him stared back on his own. Harry blinked. _Who is this woman?_ The pretty woman slowly smiled and what she says next confusing him.

 

“ _Good morning, Henrikas. Did you sleep well?_ ” What? He’s not Henrikas. He is Harry. But he didn’t say anything to correct her as his mouth open on his own.

 

“ _Good morning, mummy._ ”

 

Suddenly, the image of the woman distorted and he saw the darkness again. Back with GK. _What was that? Who’s that woman?_ He ignored the poking on his side. _Why do I feel I knew her?_ Harry tried to remember her, but the constant of the poking makes it hard to do so. The teen had enough when GK jab it harder than before.

 

“STOP IT!” Harry hissed and steal the offending stick from the Gatekeeper’s hand. He groaned loudly when his head feels very dizzy and painful like someone had just punched his brain with sharp pins. “What the hell, GK?! What did you do?” He demanded as he glared into the cat-like yellow eyes. Harry knew his hair was messed up and tried to flatten it and sighed when he only made it worse.

 

“Uh-oh, looks like someone is not a ‘morning’ person.” It’s not like he can tell time here. The Gatekeeper always loses the track of time when he was wrapped by the never ending darkness that seemed to swallow him. Well, it’s not that it was important to the immortal boy afterall. GK smiled slightly when Harry glared at him. Just before he fainted, the teen looked all skittish, but now, his gazed isn’t that half bad if not for the messed up hair that stuck in all directions. The white-haired boy suppressed a giggle that threatened to escape from his mouth when the green-eyed male tried to flatten down his uncontrollable hair but to no avail. “You fainted, remember?”

 

Harry stopped his action. Yes, he did remember that he passed out when... Harry’s eyes widened.

 

“What do you mean by I’m not human?!” He asked suddenly. His hands gripping on GK’s shoulder as if the boy’s was his lifeline. “Tell me..”

 

The Gatekeeper just shrugged him off. The immortal conjured two majestic-looking chairs and told him to sit and calm down as he would tell all he knew about him. His history. Harry quickly took a  seat and wait for GK to do so eagerly. The immortal then conjured two cups of steaming tea and offered him one to which he declined. Don’t get him wrong. Harry _loves_ tea. Tea is his most favourite drink in all the world! But he didn’t want to spit on GK face or choke on the drink because of the information that GK would tell about him. He knew that it will be shocking and though he loathe to admit it, he could probably pass out for the second time...

 

The Gatekeeper shrugged his shoulder when Harry declined his offer. Well, his loss. He may as well get comfortable as he knows that it will take a while to explain to the green-eyed teen. Though he hoped that the other male will not faint again. It will take much more time if he did so, though he wouldn’t mind waking the teen up. It’s so fun to see him squirming when he poked the green-eyed male.

 

“So...” GK said slowly. The cup he held in his hand was lowered to his lap.“As I said before, you are not a human. Not completely that is.” The immortal takes a sip of the steaming cup of tea and sigh when the warm liquid flow into his throat. _Sweet mother of all goats! This is so damn good!_

 

“Then, what am I?” Harry asked, almost afraid of the answer.

 

GK leaned forward on his chair. “You are half-Creature, a quarter Wood Nymph and a quarter human.” The white-haired boy looked a bit sad at his empty cup, but he knew that if he want to explain this properly to Harry he will have to be serious. The teen is likely to believe him when he said seriously and not using the high-pitched voice he had when he first meet the other male.

 

Harry blinked at the sudden changed of voice in GK. _Did he start to get serious?_ Harry shook his head. Not now, there’s more important things to be shocked about. “Creature? Wood Nymph?” He asked dumbly. He never heard of them before. He wondered if the boy just lied to him, but shook the thought as he already chose to trust in him. “What are they?”  He asked curiously. Well, he need to know about himself.

 

GK vanished his empty cup as he folds his hand. “Firstly, let’s start with Creature, shall we?” He asked the teen and Harry just nodded. He didn’t care which one first as long as GK tell him. “A Creature is an animal that can transform into a human. They can have their partial animal form, human form and complete animal form. Creature was said to be intelligent, cruel, loves to hunt, swift and... majestic.” Harry raised his eyebrows when GK said the last words.

 

“Why is that?”

 

GK shrugged. “Some people said their animal form was breathtaking and majestic-like. They were smaller and looked more elegant than the normal animals. But of course the people said otherwise when they saw their partial form.” GK stopped as he saw Harry confused face. “You see, Harry.. A Creature half transformation usually frightens humans. That’s because they have perfectly sharp teeth and sharp claws. And it depends on the form of the animal itself, some of them have horns while the others not. And it’s not helping that Creatures have red blood eyes on their partial animal form.” GK sighed. This will probably take longer than he expected.

 

“What am I? I mean, you said that I’m a half Creature... What kind of animal?” Harry asked, genuinely curious.

 

GK smiled at him. “A stag.”

 

Harry blinked. “Umm, like my fath-” He stopped. GK said that his family kidnapped him when he was a child, wasn’t it? Perhaps he’s not a Potter afterall. He didn’t really felt shocked knowing that he is not a Potter. He thinks that he always knew that deep down, but had no evidence of it. “I mean... _James_ animagus form?”

 

GK frowned a bit when Harry said mid-sentence, but then he called the bastard of his so called father by his name, and the immortal smiled. Looks like Harry believed him. “Yes. I supposed you can say so.”

 

Harry nodded and tried to cover his scar using his hand, an action that he would do when agitated or anxious. “Why is it, I never heard about them? I think I would have stumbled about them in a library.”

 

GK looked in deep thought. “Hmm, I have two theories. Maybe it was because the Creature was in the restricted book areas or they didn’t want you to learn about them. Afraid you would remember.”

 

Harry nodded numbly. His ‘family’ willing to do that just to ensure he wouldn’t remember. _It must be something important._ “Is there... many Creatures left?” He asked when the numbing sensation leaves his body.

 

“Their kind is very rare because, humans, mainly wizards killed them. Because Creatures eat human to live. The nutrients in the human body can make a better hunter out of them, but they eat just to stay alive. Just like humans eat pigs and cows to get the proteins, Creatures are too. A Creature can survive a year without eating humans, but that would probably make them insane or very sick as their insatiable hunger gnawing on their mind. A young Creature needs to eat more than an adult, because their body needs the nutrients for their growing body. They wouldn’t last than a few weeks if they didn’t eat.”

 

Harry fell into silence. So, he need to eat humans to stay alive. He already feels nauseous at the image of killing somebody and eat their meat. “That means... I have to...” GK nodded, understand what the teen trying to say. Harry minds reeled, he didn’t know if he could do that to innocent humans. Kill them? Probably. But _eat_ them? Harry shuddered at the thought. He suddenly remembered that he still alive despite what GK told him about the Creatures condition if they don’t eat for more than a year.

 

“How can I’m still alive? You said that Creature needs to eat humans to stay alive, so-” He stopped mid-sentence. Oh Merlin. Don’t tell him that he still alive because they fed him human meat. His face already paled at the thought. “Did...did they _fed_ me?” He shakily asked.

 

“Sometimes. They used the human dead bodies to feed you. They had no choice but to do that to keep you alive.” GK hissed when he said the last part. He _knew_. He knew that Harry’s ‘family’ only fed him once in a sixth month because they disgusted with him. It’s not Harry’s fault that he had to eat human to keep alive, just like them eat cows to stay alive.

 

“I’m just a freak...” Harry muttered.

 

“No, Harry. You’re just eat to survive. Just like them.”

 

“But I _eat_ human!” Harry screamed. “I eat human.” He whispered.

 

GK knew that Harry’s personality takes a toll on his body. The teen denied his nature because of his suppressed personality and memory. GK idly wondered how Harry would change if he got all of his memories back. And his _real_ name. The immortal saw the teen in front of him just stared at his hand and muttering words that he can make out as ‘monster’ over and over again. GK sighed. He likes Harry and he didn’t want to see him like this. But he should continue his explanation, then, lift the curse from Harry. It would probably for the best.

 

“Harry.” But the teen just continued what he’s doing. “Harry!” The Gatekeeper said, this time louder and it catches the green-eyed male attention as he lifts up his face to stare at him. GK smiled sadly. Poor Harry. “Do you want me to explain about Wood Nymph, next?” GK knew that the teenager would probably shy away if he continues about the Creatures. Well, it’s not like there are much more to say except their excellent sense of hearing, taste, touch, smell and sight. Harry would get it if he transform for the first time after a long time.

 

Harry nodded. He was thankful to GK that decided to leave the Creature topic alone. He didn’t want to hear it just yet. Perhaps if he doesn’t feel so queasy anymore when the white-haired boy tell about them.

 

GK stood, feeling numb after sitting for so long, well for him anyway. “A Wood Nymph is not the same as in the Greek mythology, perhaps a bit, but not totally.” Harry nodded, minds already leaving about the topic before. “A Nymph is usually a female. It is a _rarity_ to have a male Nymph but not unheard of. There are many categories of Nymph like Water and Land Nymph but let’s just focused on one, Wood, yeah?” GK asked and continues even though Harry didn’t say anything. “Nymph is a very beautiful, mystical creature that loves to dance and sing.” GK saw that Harry shivered as he said ‘creature’, looks like he had to change the word then. “Their ethereal looks were said to bewitch any human who looked at them. They have the appearance like a human with a very pale milky white skin.”

 

Harry blinked as new information feeding into his mind. _Pale milky white skin? Beautiful? That’s just like the woman in my dream..._

 

GK continued, ignoring Harry’s thought of a woman in his head. “All Nymph have the power to read into someone’s mind and their experience and take it as their own. For example, they can learn another language by taking the words in their victim’s head, a bit like Legillimens.”

 

“That is useful.” GK nodded as Harry said that. He breathes a sigh of relief when the teen doesn’t look that scared like when he told about the Creature.

 

“Each Nymph have their own speciality. For Wood Nymph, they can talk to nature or plants mainly. They also had the power to control them if they were powerful enough. Many of Wood Nymph are a healer, as they know which plants and herbs have what effect. It seems they know this in their nature as they wouldn’t need someone to teach them about the plants. A Wood Nymph usually had green eyes.” GK stopped when he heard Harry’s gasp. “Harry? What is it?”

 

Harry should have known! So the woman in his dream was his mother? “I think I saw my mother in my dream..” He said disbelievely.

 

GK raised his eyebrows. “When you passed out?” Harry nodded. That was unexpected. He didn’t even start to lift the curse, yet Harry was starting to remember bit and pieces. “Good for you, then.”

 

“Why is it that I’m a quarter Wood Nymph?”

 

“That’s because, your mother is a half Wood Nymph. Your Wood Nymph grandmother fell in love and married a male human, a Lithuanian I think, named Henrikas.”

 

Harry’s eyes widened. He heard that name before in his dream. It was his grandfather’s name. He was named with his grandfather’s name?! “My real name is Henrikas wasn’t it?” He asked GK. Harry had the suspicion that the Gatekeeper knew this, but didn’t tell him.

 

GK raised his eyebrows. It was becoming a common occurrence, he hoped that there wasn’t an aged line formed on his smooth forehead. Putting that aside, he wouldn’t think that the teen remember his real name. “You remembered?” Harry nodded.

 

They both fell into comfortable silence. “So..” Harry started. “You’ve done explaining to me about my heritage.” GK nodded, he knew where this is going, but he waited patiently as the teen spoke. “So, about my memories.”

 

“Yes, your memories.” GK repeated.

 

“You promised me to lift them.” Harry asked hopefully.

 

The white haired boy looked at the teen before sighing. “I did, did I?” Harry nodded. “You must know Harry, about the warning that I told you about. And to start off.. I have to lift the most traumatic event of your life.” He saw Harry gulped silently. “It is only then the other memories can fall into their rightful place.” GK saw the accessing look on Harry’s face. “You still want to do it?”

 

Harry has been silent for a long while before he gave his answer. “Yes. Yes, I want to. I _need_ to know.”

 

“Even if you learn about your Creature heritage?”

 

Harry bit his lip nervously. He had thought about them when GK told about his mother. He knows he can accept them, afterall it is a part of him. No matter how twisted it sounds. Perhaps he will think differently when his real personality comes out.“...Yes.” GK nodded. “GK..?” The immortal boy looked at him questioningly. “What will happen to me.. when my real personality takes over? Will I.. disapeared? This mind, I mean.”

 

GK smiled softly at the hesitation of the teen. “No. As I’ve said before, your current mind will assimilate with your suppressed personality.”

 

“How can that be? It’s not possible..”

 

“Nothing is impossible, Harry.” Harry still wasn’t looking at his eyes. “Harry, do you trust me?” He nodded slowly. “Then, _believe_ me when I say your current mind won’t disapear.”

 

“Okay..” GK smiled. “Now what do I have to do?” The teen fidget on the chair.

 

GK looked thoughtfully. “Well, first we have to get comfortable. That means these have to go..” He vanished both of the chair, including the one Harry’s still sitting at and ignored the yelp of the teen when he promptly fell down. “...and change to this!” He conjured a king sized bed with a soft silky cover not far from him. He looked at the still glaring Harry. “Come on, lie on the bed.”  The teen huffed but complied his request. When Harry just did that, GK get onto the bed and go near to the teen’s head. “Okay, Harry. Listen to me. You will feel like you’re in a dream first. And then it started to get nasty and your head will probably felt like it was splitting.” Harry gulped . “Are you ready?” GK asked and the green-eyed male nodded. The white-haired boy then placed two of his fingers on Harry’s forehead. “Okay then..my mind to yo-”

 

“Wait!” GK stopped, looking confused. “What are you doing?” Harry accused. Before, GK didn’t need to say anything to conjure or do anything magical. Why did he feel the need to do now?

 

“Sorry.” GK said sheepishly to the teen. “I always wanted to say that at least once, you know.” Harry just frowned. “Don’t worry, it will not affect anything.” Harry slowly nodded, perplexed by the Gatekeeper’s action.

 

GK grinned as he pretended to cough. “Ahem. My mind to your mind.”

 

Harry felt his eyes becomes droopy as soon GK said the words. He didn’t notice he closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber. Dead into the world.

 

 

~X~

 

 

Harry shut his eyes when the bright light hits him in the face. He blinks for a few times before he slowly opens his eyes. It was blurry and the lights are too bright for him. He rubbed his eyes before opening it again. This time he can see clearly as his eyes getting  accustomed with the lighting. It was then he realised he’s in an unfamiliar place...again. _Well, this is a memory, what do you expect?_

 

Realizing that he was lying on the ground, he stood at his full height and took a full scan of the new place. Harry realised he’s in a room. A bedroom. Well, he knew this because there was a medium sized bed dominating the room. Light blue sky painted on the wall and dark red curtains were open, letting the warm sunlight shining through. There weren’t that many furniture besides a bookshelf filled with books and an old record player. A classic one. There was a hefty stack of the record player disc besides it. He whistled as he saw the painting of the stars on the ceiling. _Nice._

 

Something brown caught his eyes and Harry comes near it. It was a toy plushie. A stag. He holds it in his hands and examined it closely. Someone did it with great details as he saw the horns and the ears was knitted to look as close as the real thing as possible. It was also soft to touch too. Harry felt a tug on his heart when he saw many other plushies on the bed. Somehow, all of this seems nostalgic for him.

 

_Was this my bedroom?_

 

The teen didn’t go far with his musing as he heard a soft cry. Another voice made a shushing sound, but he can’t make the words out, he has to get closer. He opens the door and a long hallway with dimmed light  greeted him. He slowly walked towards the voice and the sound getting louder each step he takes. He didn’t know why, but it seems like his body remembered where he was going to as if he known this place for years. Perhaps he did, but he has forgotten. He stopped in front of a door. The door was slightly ajar and Harry leaned into it, trying to see between the gap.  A child, perhaps a baby was crying and based on the soft shushing voice, it was probably the baby’s mother trying to calm him down.

 

 _Is that me? Why do I see this in a third person of view? Shouldn’t I see this from the child’s eyes?_ Harry idly wondered. He didn’t care as long as he gets his memories back. And this view is easier for him to look around. So, he wouldn’t complain.

 

Harry listened as the woman – his _mother_ , spoke something foreign; he didn’t know the language, but something about it makes him remembered something. Like something in his mind that buried long ago trying to surface. The simple white dresses that she wore made her looked angelic. His mother is truly gorgeous, he thought. Harry made no indication to move as he felt another presence in the room.

 

A handsome man, perhaps in his late twenties walked towards them before taking the child from the woman’s hand. This is it, his _father_. He was tall, well taller than him, and have a very well-toned, muscled beneath the shirt that he’s wearing. Harry saw that they interacted with each other and felt frustrated as he cannot understand the words. But whatever his father had said must be something funny because the woman lightly chuckles and shooking her head in amused. Suddenly the woman started to sing and Harry stilled as the song vibrate into his mind. He _knew_ the song.

 

The soft melodious voice of the woman resounds in the room. The air suddenly felt lighter to breathe in, the lights felt brighter and suddenly everything feels like it will be alright. The sobbing of the child has long ceased, and both the father and the child were quiet and their eyes filled with awe as the woman gracefully dance and sing with her harmonious voice. As the woman stopped singing, Harry realised that tears streaming in his face. _Mom._ _Dad._ The laughter of the family rang in the house, the normalcy of it makes him didn’t even think that they were not completely human. They just seemed so... _happy_.

 

 _This is what I’ve forgotten. That I **forced** to forget._ _My own family._ Harry couldn’t help as he felt the growing anger that started to surface. _Why did they kidnap me?_

 

Harry’s musing didn’t get too far as the scene suddenly distorted. _What’s happening?_ All of a sudden, all he sees is red. _Blood_. A spike of pain ran through his mind and he cannot help but cried out _. It hurts!_ He felt that his body burns and his flesh was splashed with acid, as his head were smashed to pieces. He screamed, afraid of what is happening to him and the pain that he felt through. After what it seems like eternity, the pain recedes and left him with a dull throb of pain. Through hazy eyes, he can see that the slightly ajar door was now completely open. His stomach felt queasy as he saw the bloody room that the family – _his_ family just in. _What happened?_

 

The teen stood shakily as his knees threatened to buckle as the aftereffects of the pain. He coughed before stumbled on the door. It was a mess. The furnitures were broken and the floor was filled with blood. Harry turned his head away. It didn’t take a genius to figure whose blood it is. A soft cry was heard and Harry turned his attention to the sound.

 

The boy – _himself_ , was sitting in the corner with his mother tried to shield him away from the view. They were _bloody_. In front of them stood protectively was... a Creature? Harry’s eyes widened when he recalled what GK had told him about the partial animal form. No wonder humans were afraid of them as he saw sharp looking horns and claws from the man. His blood red eyes were angry and there was blood on his clothes. But even though he saw the man – his _father_ like that, he wasn’t scared of him but he is scared _for_ him. Harry’s eyes trailed to get a clearer view of what the Creature had seen and proceed to gape his mouth open like a fish that didn’t get oxygen.

 

It was his ‘parents’. James and Lily. They were holding their wands and pointing them at his family. Harry realised that Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore were there also. _So, they also involved with this..._

 

“Give us the prophecy child.” James sneered. Besides him was Lily and behind her stood Sirius and Remus, each holding the stick in their hand. Dumbledore just stared silently in the back.

 

“ _Never._ ” The Creature growled and lunged forward to attack James. The Auror dodges the attack in the nick of time and retaliates by firing a spell, but the man-creature was too fast. Sirius and Remus then try to surprise him from behind, but the agility of the creature beats them to it. In the corner of his eyes, Harry saw that Lily silently comes nearer the mother and the child. _No!_ Harry rushed to Lily but he just passed right through her. _No! Mom!_

 

As if the Creature can hear him, he looks back and snarled when he saw Lily was close to his family. He left the three men and lunged to Lily but was slammed to wall by an unknown force. It was Dumbledore. He binds the Creature to the wall. Lily continued her action and paid no mind to the begging and sobbing of the woman in front of her.

 

“Please. Please, have mercy. We have done nothing wrong. Please.” His mother begged.

 

Lily sneered at the sight of the bloody woman and child. “We don’t care about you monsters. What we _want_ is him. The _boy_.” By now, the three Marauders were near Lily.

 

“Please. No. Not Henrikas. Please.” The woman’s grip tighten on the child.

 

“You’re just a fucking Nymph! We don’t care! Just give us the boy!” Sirius yelled to the whimpering woman.

 

The growls of the Creature disturb them and James sighed irritably. “Remus kill him. If he gets out. It’ll becomes a _problem_.” Remus nodded. But as he fired the spell, the Nymph suddenly cried out and jumped into the spell and was hit on her chest. She fell with a thud and Harry saw her dull eyes staring at him. _No!_ Harry saw his young self cried and tried to run to his mother, but was grabbed by Dumbledore. He screamed, kicked and punched, but the older wizard didn’t let go of the boy.

 

Harry saw his real father looked angry and sad as he saw the lifeless form of his wife. Tears mixed with blood fell from his eyes. “Why..?” He brokenly asked as his perfectly sharp teeth  were shown.

 

“You monsters deserved it. We need the boy as a saviour. And we don’t need his monster parent in the way.” James lifts his wand to the man’s forehead. “That’s including you.”

 

Harry’s younger self screamed again before looking at his father who smiled bitterly at him.

 

“Aš atsiprašau, mano vaike. Prašome išgyventi. Aš tave myliu.” The Creature said one last time before James fired the spell. And within seconds, the Creature was dead. It was just then that Dumbledore lets him go. The boy went silent after the words. He walks shakily as the two lifeless form on the floor lie motionlessly. “Motė? Tėvas?” The child said brokenly before he screamed and sobbed as the two precious people he loves had gone. Dead.

 

NO! NO. This is not happening. Harry cried as he saw the scene. Suddenly the pain comes back and Harry fall on his knees, the sudden pain caught him unguarded and he screamed as he felt like his head was splitting open. This is what GK had warned about. But he certainly didn’t know it felt like this. The first time he just got before was a mere discomfort compare to this. This time it feels like someone cuts him open and sliced around his body. Then, they soak him in the boiling water that filled with acidic chemicals.

 

 Images and words fly around his mind. Harry curled himself into a ball. _It hurts! Make it stop!_   But he knew that he wanted this. He needed to bear with this to know the truth. His truth. But that certainly didn’t stop him from begging it to stop. _Please! Someone, make it stop!_ As if someone has heard him, the pain stopped, almost immediately like when somebody pause when they watch a movie.

 

Suddenly the scene change. He was in the darkness again. _Did it finish? Am I in the veil?_ _Where’s GK?_ A small figure caught his eyes. There was a bundle of red and black clothes and Harry swore that he could see a small hand beneath it. “GK?” The bundle stiffened and it suddenly disappeared from his view as he blinked. _What the hell?_

 

“I am not that Gatekeeper.” A childish voice resounds in the darkness.

 

Harry whirled his head around, trying to find the source where the voice comes from. “Who are you?”

 

“I am you.” Harry thought that the voice becomes closer and he panics. “ _Henrikas_.” Harry shivered as he felt a breath of air on his neck, like someone is behind him. He turned back and was greeted by a sight of a boy, no more than five, just an inch closer from his face with small horns on his head. His green eyes glinted in the darkness.

 

Then, the boy smiled, showing his sharp teeth.“I have been waiting for you for a _long_ time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review and comment. And tell me if I missed something, okay? And questions are welcomed! And please tell me if the translations wrong because I used Google Translate. Btw, the language is Lithuanian. See what I did here?
> 
> Aš atsiprašau, mano vaike. Prašome išgyventi. Aš tave myliu – (I am sorry, my child. Please survive. I love you.)
> 
> Motė – (Mother)
> 
> Tėvas – (Father)


	3. The Awakening

Harry fidget on his seat as he looked at the boy – his kid form, that sits across him. After his kid self manage to scare half the shit out of him, the younger form had changed the scenery to a more acceptable place than the gloomy darkness that they had been and gestures him to sit. Still, it made the teen a wrecked nervous since the boy still didn’t say anything after their weird exchange of greetings. _Well, I’ve never thought being with yourself is so awkward..._

 

The boy – half-Creature, stared at him calculatingly before tilting his head to the side. Silky black hair and porcelain skin made the boy look ethereal and fragile at the same time that Harry would have mistaken the boy as a life-sized doll if he does not move. His eyelashes were long and bright electric green eyes that greener than his own glinting in the darkness. Strange marks covering his lithe body frame, making him look somewhat exotic.  If not for the dangerous looking claws and teeth, Harry would have thought him to be an angel. Small horns were resting on top of his head and there...were that ears?! _Its poking out of his head? Stag’s ears?_ Harry blinked. _Huh, that was unexpected._

 

“Uh, what are we doing here?” Harry asked when he can’t stand the silence any longer. The boy just continues to stare and dare he say that he was a bit creeped out by the action. But, it would seem that he doesn’t have to wait long as his kid self decided to speak.

 

“Waiting.” The child stated in a matter of factly.

 

“For what?” Harry asked dumbfounded.

 

“For you, of course.” Harry frowned. Wait for him? His confusion must have shown on his face because the half-Creature then spoke. “Your decision. Whether you really want to gain your memories or not.” Harry sighed. Not this again! Even GK had said the same thing. Why did it seem that everybody (including his true self) is so against for him to remember his suppressed memories?

 

“I am not against it.” The child spoke and shocked Harry because it was what he was thinking. How come GK and his child form can read his mind? It’s not fair! The child suddenly chuckled – _giggled_. “That's because I am you, remember. And GK is special.” The child stood and come nearer to Harry. The child move gracefully, Harry thought. “I did say that I have been waiting for you for such a long time.” He stopped as his clawed hand trailed along Harry’s smooth cheek. He pokes it a bit and tiny spot of blood comes out. Harry shivered as the boy proceeds to lick his cheek before smiling.

 

“Delicious.” Harry’s mouth agape. _What the hell?!_ This is so wrong in many ways. Harry flinched when he felt another hand on his face, but then the feeling went away and when he opens his eyes, his younger self had seated again. Like nothing had happened. _Okay, that is way too spooky for my taste._

 

“If you decided to gain your memories, we will merge. Together. Becomes one. Body and soul. Like we were supposed to be.” The boy suddenly said. His melodious childish voice is so soft that Harry had thought that it suits too well for the half-Creature.

 

 The boy stared, amused by his skittish human self in front of him. But, he would not blame him, after all the teen is himself. His _human_ self. It was the bastards who murdered his family that made him like this. No confidence, scrawny and manipulated, just like a puppet on a string following every move that the puppeteer wanted him to go. He growled as he remembered the past memories of them abusing his body and he was forced to watch at the back of his mind, helpless as he was chained to it. He was glad that he had managed to leave those disgusting humans and elated that somehow, when his human self jumped to the Veil, a being had helped him to retrieve his memories back. He smiled dangerously as he thought that he could be outside again if the teen decide to proceed with his decision. “So, will you?”

 

Harry blinked his eyes. His Creature-self is freaking him out! But he knows that because he is not what he seems to be. It was because his mind is meddled by them. The teen licked his lips nervously. “I want to.” Harry’s eyes shifted to the boy’s eyes. “Why are you in that form?” He asked the first question that had popped into his mind as soon his eyes laid on the boy. “I mean, why not in our teen form? Just like me. We are seventeen, right?”

 

“That’s because, I had been sealed inside this place since I was four.” The younger male replied wistfully, remembering the agony of being separated with his human self. “You are my human self, as I am your creature self. Without you I am not complete and without me, you are not too. We are one. Until those imbeciles, manage to seal me inside our head and only brings the human consciousness to the surface. It was you.”

 

Harry was appalled to hear that. He didn’t know about this. GK didn’t tell him anything about this. Maybe the Gatekeeper himself didn’t know? Still, Harry is perplex that even though his kid form is four years of age, his pronunciation is very good. Like an adult. His confidence is something that Harry has not achieved when he was a child.

 

“Those humans did something to you. They fed you potions to make you loyal to them, becomes slightly stupider than average because they do not want you to know. Also, they mucked up with your mind, makes you cannot think clearly.”

 

“Huh?” Harry’s eyes widened. _Stupid?_

 

“Do not fret as it will go away, if you decide to merge, of course.”

 

“Why is it that you spoke... I don’t know, politely? Like noble-like? You said that you was sealed. How come you know so many things?”

 

“I experienced all the things that you did. The first few years after our abduction, those humans tried to teach us to be more civilised, not some animal that eats people. They forced us to speak, dine and walk like those other nobles. We were forced to learn ethics and music instrument. After years, I was influenced by their doing, though not that much. Perhaps you will remember after the merger.”

 

“Do you hate humans?” Harry asked after a moment.

 

“Can’t say that I am not. I am not overly familiar of them, no. But perhaps, there will be exception.” The child said thoughtfully.

 

“Will it hurt?” Harry asked. He had decided to know, after all. The child tilts his head questioningly, like an animal. “Will the merger hurt?” Harry couldn’t stomach another pain sensation like before. He could have died.

 

 “Of course. Your body will remember the torture and memories that they tried to hide from you. Do you want to continue what you are doing or not?” Harry’s spirit dropped. Another pain that he has to overcome before gaining his memories. Harry sighed before gripping his hand tightly, making his knuckle white from the pressure.

 

“Yes.” Harry said slowly. “I want to continue.” He wanted to know the truth so bad. His murdered parents. He wanted to know them. His memories with them. “Please.”

 

The boy smiled ferally before leaping from the armchair and cup his face between his hand. “As you wish.” Harry hardly noticed that the background started to crumble into a black and red one, as his eyes gazing into the intense bright green. His minds suddenly heard voices and image he didn’t recognize popped into his head. Screams and blood covering his visions and hearing and before he passed out from the sudden pain, he heard a voice speaking.

 

“Welcome back, Henrikas.”

 

 

~X~

 

 

It had been three days.

 

GK sighed for the umpteenth times, as he watched the whimpering teen on his bed that he had materialized. Immediately after he had initiated his power to lift the suppressed memory, the teen had gone into a deep sleep. It was after that, the green-eyed male started to toss around the bed. It started with a whimper, then escalated to sobbing and screaming. The Gatekeeper was appalled, to say at least. Screams and sobbing were becoming frequent at the company of him, and the white-haired boy admitted that he did feel worried for the half-Creature. But Harry had decided this himself, and who is he to stop him? Sweats damping the dark blue covered bed, but he always made sure to make a dry charm on the cover to make it more comfortable to the other male.

 

He sighs again before conjuring his favourite armchair and a cup of tea before sitting on the said chair, just like the past three days. His mind wanders on the possibility of the young teenager would do if he manages to wake up from his deep slumber. The Gatekeeper knows that even if he can survive throughout the ordeal, something will definitely change within the teen. Not only his personality, how the teen is thinking and perceive will definitely alter. Just like a whole new person...

 

GK stared back at Harry and thinks about what his ‘family’ thought about it. They must be overjoyed that they finally can get rid of him. But then, Harry had left the wizarding world before he kills the supposed Dark Lord and GK snickered at the thought of them killed or tortured by the madman wizard. _Served them right! But it’s such a shame that I can’t do something about those bastards._

 

Suddenly, a scream pieced into the silence. It was not like any other scream that GK had heard from the teen when he had slept. This time, it was more painful and the Gatekeeper rushed to the side of the green-eyed male, fearing for the worse. “Harry!”

 

The teen is thrashing on the bed, unseeing eyes open and darted towards the never ending darkness. His body glows a soft light, like a beacon in the darkness. _What the hell?!_ “Harry!” GK tried again, but then, something unexpected happened. Harry’s body glows brightly that the Gatekeeper had to shield his eyes.

 

It lasts for a moment before it disappeared. _What was that?_ GK paid no mind to the least important accident as his eyes shifted to Harry again. But the Gatekeeper found no body. It’s empty. The bed is empty! “Harry..?”

 

“I appreciate it if you call me by my real name, GK.” The white-haired whirled his head to the voice behind him and saw a boy, younger than his form, cocooned with a shirt that is too big for his body frame.

 

“What?” GK was speechless. Why the hell did Harry – Henrikas’s body becomes like this?! He was... smaller.

 

“I must say that I didn’t expect this.” Henrikas said as he struggled to move with the oversized shirt that he was wearing. He looked at his small hands. _Did I become a four year old again? Interesting..._

 

The half-Creature saw that the Gatekeeper did a good impersonation of a fish with his mouth open. He stepped closer to the white-haired boy in hope to break from his stupor, when the unthinkable happen. The shirt just slipped out from his pale skin, revealing the scars and bruise beneath it. Henrikas stared at his naked body to the shocked and pink-coloured face of one Gatekeeper.

 

“Do you have any cloth that I can use?” He asked undisturbed by GK saw his naked form.

 

 

~X~

 

 

GK sighed as he slumped into the chair. Henrikas is changing his cloth to a more fitting one and the Gatekeeper didn’t want to disturb him. Pink flushed on his cheek as he remembered the naked body of Henrikas. _NO! That’s just so wrong!_ GK was horrified that the teen-turned-child did nothing more than bat an eyelash when he saw him...uncovered. He just asked for cloth calmly while making eye contact with him. _Oh, god. Did he have no shame?_

 

“I am done.” The child said as he walks gracefully to the immortal. GK saw the child’s attire and his eyebrows lifted up. The half-Creature wore a button-up red shirt with a black vest. Black pants hugged his small legs and his hair is not messy like before, the child had combed it to the back. Some strand of hairs fell into his forehead, and GK wondered how much he had changed from the scrawny teen to the...aristocratic-looking boy.

 

“Okay, good.”The Gatekeeper started. “Now, that you’ve done. Let’s talk business.” He gestures him to sit as he materialized the same chair that he had summoned when Henrikas was Harry. They both sit comfortably before talking. GK idly wondered how much ‘Harry’ is in that mind as he saw nothing seems the same between the two males.

 

The child gazed thoughtfully. “About my newest ‘condition’ I suppose.” His bright green eyes stared at the cat-like yellow eyes. “And perhaps other things that you want to discuss about?”

 

GK nodded. “Yes. I didn’t know what happened to you when you gain your memories. It seems like you are somehow reversed to your child form. But there is more important thing to worry about.” Henrikas tilt his head cutely. “Henrikas, you are not dead. Not yet, anyways. So, you cannot go into the realm of the deads.” GK sighed, how should he explain this? “When a body died, their soul will be transported here. The Veil. I don’t know how, but you didn’t die even though you fell right off into it. Technically speaking, it would be impossible, but then nothing seems to be impossible for you, eh?” He smiled knowingly to the boy. “So, I had a plan.”

 

“What kind, GK?”

 

“Look, this may sound crazy, but there are alternate universe. I know you wouldn’t want to come back to the world that gave you so much pain. So, I think this will be a good idea.”

 

“Why I couldn’t just stay here, with you?” Henrikas asked curiously.

 

GK shook his head. “No, you can’t. Your souls will detoriates if you stay longer and it will vanish. Wiped from existence. Your soul will trap into the nothingness for eternity. And you can’t be reincarnate that way.”

 

Henrikas nodded. So, he had no choice. His eyes looked far away as he remembered the last words his father had said to him. _Survive._ He stared at the Gatekeeper’s serious face. “Of course. When will I go?”

 

“Perhaps, now is the best time.”

 

 

~X~

 

 

Henrikas stared at the portal in front of him. The black hole seems to swirl, threatening to swallow a person who walked into it. GK cleared his throat and the green-eyed boy turned his head to the said immortal, listening to what he had wanted to say.

 

“Here.” Henrikas stared at the small dark green coloured strap bag in GK’s hand curiously. “This bag had magical extension in it. It is bottomless and if you wanted something, put your hand inside and say the things that you want and it would appear.” Henrikas took the bag from GK’s outstretched hands. _This could be useful._

 

“Thank you for this useful tool. I will use it with great care.”

 

GK nodded. “Err.. Henrikas. You may want to change your way of talking.” He continued when the boy just stared at him. “You know, for blending in. People tend to help kids who are helpless and cute. Not that you are not, but,” He sighed. “Act _normal_ , okay?” He voiced his concerned and the half-Creature is a bit touched by his action.

 

“Okay.” Henrikas looked thoughtfully. “GK, I know you are perplexed with me. Do not worry. Harry is still here.” He brings his small hand to his heart. “The merging takes a slow process and I don’t have all the memories yet. I know that some memories will be triggered by some objects. The others will come by as days passed by. It could take months, years, I do not know. But we are slowly becoming one, it is not your fault that our mind is like this.”

 

The Gatekeeper stared at the smaller form than him. “Yeah. I know.” He hugged the boy tightly, ignoring the slight flinched Henrikas’s body made. “Stay safe.” He murmured.

 

“Hmm.” Henrikas nodded, relished at the warm contact of GK. They broke the hug as GK stepped back, leaving Harry in front of the portal.

 

“See you later.” Henrikas said as he jumped into the portal.

 

GK stared at the empty space before turning on his heel. His mouth turned into a smile as he walks towards his place. “Yep. See you later, Henrikas.”

 

 

~X~

 

 

Henrikas didn’t know what it felt like to jump to another dimension, and he must say that he didn’t want to experience it anymore if he could. The sensation of his cells broke apart, then combine back, is unpleasant to say at the least. It’s as if he was missing a limb or two when he woke. His legs feel like jelly and wobbly. His eyes blinked in the darkness that seemed to be his constant company lately. _Is it nighttime?_

 

He manages to stand without falling down, thankfully his small body made it easier to do so. Realising that he had stranded in a woods as he saw trees surrounded him, the boy made the decision to go to the main road. Just to know where he had fallen into. GK had said that this is an alternate universe, so the possibility this world’s geography is the same like in his old world is high. It didn’t take the teen-turned-kid that long as the trees pointed him to a right direction as he was soon greeted by the familiar tar-road. Thank god for his Wood Nymph ability.

 

The road is bare and void of humans. Well, it is nighttime. He saw a board not far from him, along the road and he changed into his partial Creature form as soon he made sure no humans were in the area. His bright green eyes flashed as he read the words on the board. His ears twitched as he recognised the place. He transforms back to his human form before tilting his head.

 

“I’m in America?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations : Harry will not immediately remembered his memories. In fact, he will remember one by one and then his personality will turn to a more Harry-Henrikas thought. Maybe a happy sadist? That’s certainly nice. Anyway, about the way he is talking, imagine it was like Draco-like, but with a hint of elegance in it. Silky black hair, pale milky skin, big green eyes and soft spoken voice. That certainly attracted perverts doesn’t it? Meh. Until next chapter!


	4. The Meeting (Part I)

Henrikas wiped the sweat that started to trickle from his forehead, a dead rabbit dangling loosely on his other clawed-bloody hand. The poor mammal had unexpectedly become his dinner today when it fell into the trap that he had been set up around the woods. As soon as he went near it, he had killed it in one slash. Quick death. The warm brownish fur was spoiled with red around the neck, like a chocking necklace hanging on it. Blood dripping from his arm, but the boy does not care for it as he make way back to his shelter. The sound of the broken branches accompanies him as he walks, his once light blue shirt was dirty with blood and mud from the hunting. Once stepping into the clearing, Henrikas changed back to his human form. He put the carcass away before he bends his body near a river to wash his face.

 

It’s been nearly two weeks since his arrival to the new world. Henrikas had more or less adjusts to his routine – wake up in the morning, taking a bath, setting traps and explore the woods. He practices to transform into his complete animal form when he realised that each time he did that, it is becoming easier for him. What GK said about Creature animal form is smaller and elegant is true. His fur is soft and black with a tint of dark blue, certainly no other stag has the same colour like him. His small horns are pure white and sharp like a talon, and his jade coloured eyes remain the same. It was a surprised to learn that when he’s in his animal form, he can understand what the deer’s saying. When he had heard a gentle voice asking for his well-being from an old female doe, he had been amused. He had made some friends with the young deers, fawns, here and let’s just say that after he spend his time with the company, he didn’t have the heart to kill them. Come on! That’s just like a cannibal! – even though he _is_ a cannibal. But he had no problem with eating them – the deers, though. Just the killing.

 

And he knows that he has a much bigger problem than that. Creature have to eat, preferably _human_ meat, to stay alive, especially a youngling – which he had now been. And it’s been two weeks (that he knows of), but no human meat had been digested in his stomach. Not _yet_. He guessed that he can probably hold the hunger much longer than a Creature his age, no thanks to the kidnappers that only feed him once in a month when he was a child and once in a six month when he is a teenager. The rabbit’s meat can only satisfy him so and it can’t abate the hunger inside him. _Should I risk it and just kill a passerby?_ Henrikas shook his head. No. He definitely would not do that. He is not a murderer nor a killer per se. He is just a quarter cannibal who is looking for something – someone, to eat. Maybe a selective kind of people? Like a criminal? Kidnapper? Hmm, perhaps, but then, how can he catch them? It’s not like they just walk in the woods right here and then, it was like a one in a million chance. Should he just steal a dead body from a crime scene? Nope. Risky for getting caught. His rumbling stomach pulled him into reality. _That can wait, for now let’s make do with what I have._ Roasted rabbit.

 

Yummy!

 

 

~X~

 

 

Henrikas winced as he removes his dirty clothes, the movements apparently aggravating his still healing injuries. It would appear that, when he had somehow reversed back to his child form, his injuries from before also appearing with them, just like a free package that you get when you buy something in the market. But he absolutely didn’t want this _free_ package, but it’s not like he had a say on this. Dark bruises adorning his pale skin, old scars ran across his torso and he knew there were more on his back – belt welts, _presents_ from James each time he did something wrong. It was a very horrifying thing to see on a child’s body, but Henrikas had gotten used to it that he did nothing more than bat an eyelash – just like when he did with GK.

 

Thankfully, his ability as a Wood Nymph becomes a lifesaver when he saw many of the plants in the woods are actually herbs that he can use to dull his pain. It’s like the plants were catalogued in his mind, because he just needs to see and touch them and then he will know what is the use of. For cooking also he had used the herbs as a spice and flavouring, at least he didn’t have to eat it raw. He may be a cannibal, but he also had pride as a quarter human and perhaps his creatures self. He didn’t want to be like the savages cannibal that he had read one time when he was locked in the library by James and Lily’s biological son, Charlus. He blanched at the memory. Red haired like Lily with chocolate eyes from James, that kid was arrogant and obnoxious. Even though he didn’t remember many things yet, the one about his kidnappers will be the memories that he certainly don’t enjoy about.

 

He shivers as he slowly dips himself into the cold water. The once clear water becomes murky with his filths as it cleans the dirt on his body and he sighs in contentment as the refreshing feeling started to seep into his body. The aching in his bones went away and he hummed happily as he splashes the water, indulging his childish side. With his body like this, sometimes he can’t control the impulse to do something very childish or unadult-like. Henrikas idly wondered how much he had changed from the last time he had met GK, maybe he is becoming like a little kid again?

 

Yesterday, he had unlocked another memory – thankfully it was his family. His mother had called him Herkus, apparently it was a pet name for his full name. He loved it. Henrikas is a bit mouthful and it certainly comes in handy to say his name without difficulty. He thought that it would be nice if someone called him by that name again before shaking his head. _No. It’s not like there’s somebody can accept me as I am. Not in this world._ The boy lingered in the river for a while longer before coming out wearing his birthday suit and shakes his body – just like a wet dog after a bath. He didn’t mind it as he knows nobody can see him here. He padded softly to the campfire he had made for roasting the rabbit – next to where he keeps his things, and fished out new garments from the bag that GK gave to him. Conveniently, each time he took a new clothing, the one from before immediately vanished, he had tried to take the same cloth from the bag and he was delighted when it was returned fresh and clean.

 

He wears a grey-coloured pajamas, preparing for sleep as the sky grew darker. His bed – something akin like a nest with soft blankets all around it (because he can’t take a bed out of the bag) – is just beside the river. He snuggled into the bundle and tried to make himself comfortable; it wasn’t nice like his bed when he was a child but it will do, for now. His mind wanders to his problem that had been etched on his mind since the first day after he comes here. He has to search for food by himself, now that nobody can feed him anymore. That means he has to go to the nearest human settlement – a town, city to search for his prey.

 

Henrikas remembered  when he had stupidly gone without thinking to the nearby town three days after his arrival. Curiosity wins over him and he was excited to see new things, though the city life is a bit hectic for him, with the buzz of people and sounds of cars honking – he didn’t want to stay long. A woman had noticed him and called for him, but then he ran away, he never saw the face of the woman, merely his dark brown wavy hair; but if it was based on her voice, she could be pretty. But then again, _sounds_ can be deceiving. He ran all the way to the woods, shifting to his partial form as he knows that he is faster in that state when he was convinced no one can see him. He didn’t know what the woman wanted from him, maybe it was because he stands alone in the middle of crowd without an adult with him? Or she is concerned about him – just like the mother of a young stag that he had grown fond of.

 

He knew that if he gets caught, he will probably be put in an orphanage after they know he had no parents, where he will have no freedom to roam about and hides his ‘condition’. Henrikas don’t want that. But he also knew that he can’t survive if he keeps doing this lifestyle. His lithe body made it  very difficult for him to hunt, as for his partial form, he can’t stay in that half state for long because it will drain his energy and he can’t move his body for a long while after that. What it would do him good if he pass out in the middle of the hunt? Troublesome indeed. He sighed before turning his body, so that he faced the campfire. The sound of small insects in the woods ringing in his ears, but somehow it sounds like a lullaby to him. He put his hand over his head while thinking about his predicament. _How can I search for human that willingly follow me into the woods? Nobody is that fool._ He blinked his eyes on the growing darkness when he suddenly remembered what GK once said to him.

 

_“People tend to help kids who are helpless and cute.”_

 

“Ah.” He breathes out, at a sudden idea come over him. _That’s it!_ Yes, there is a way to bait someone into the woods, he thought as he grins evilly, plans already started to form in his mind. The hooting of the owls broke his thought before he yawning softly. This body made him much easier to tire himself out, to which he confused because aren’t a child suppose to be energetic? _Well, perhaps it’s just me. I better sleep now because tomorrow will be a long day._ He grins into the soft material as he visioned the things that he intend to do tomorrow before slipping out from his consciousness as the sleep take over his body.

 

 

~X~

 

 

Henrikas woke early the next day, before dawn, as he needed to conduct the action of his already formed plan in his head last night. The half-Creature eats his breakfast before taking a quick bath. He stopped his hand midway to the bag, as he tried to remember the particular cloth that he had seen a kid wore when he visited the city. A bare of moments passed before he managed to produce them. Red hooded sweatshirt with a picture of a large, cute stag printed on it and a pair of white-greyish short pants appear in his hand. He had changed the animal print sweatshirt that the kid had worn, from cat to his favourite animal – stag, well, it’s not that it made that much of a difference. It’s still cute. He wears them before combing his hair – this time it’s not like the one he usually does, the slicked back, but more like ‘Harry-ish’ hair. Without his once messy hair, the style looks nicer as the hair looks very soft and fluffy, Henrikas decided that he likes it. The bangs covered his left side forehead, showing the bare skin with a traced line of a thin scar on the other side. He looked at his reflections and satisfied with what he seen.

 

Now, how to speak like a child? A _vulnerable_ , little child. He didn’t really remembered how a kid spoke, basing on what he saw during his childhood, he didn’t want to be the screaming and throwing tantrum child that Charlus had been. It was rude and _loud_. He knows that bit and pieces of his memories that slowly comes back had developed a bit of his real personality – not like the one when he first woke up as a child with GK – the proper-like speaking, but the one when he was still living with his family. Childish but mature at the same time, and perhaps a bit of a sadist. Well, his family eats people and he can’t help, but pick out one or two of his father Creature’s traits. But of course, being polite is a must for him. After all, aren’t _human_ a civilised being? Maybe he can be a shy and polite kid? It suits well with his persona. _Promising, perhaps this will be my disguise._ Well, he can always take a memory from a kid in the playground – the one that is shy and silent, of course – if he had problems with how to act. He grins. Yes, this will works.

 

“Now, let’s go to the city and bait for pervert.”

 

 

~X~

 

 

He had found a good spot – a kids playground. When he had managed to lure the pervert, he only needs to go to the washroom and takes a few turns before it leads him to the woods. Now, he just needs to wait patiently as he saw people starting to crowd the playground, filling it with young children and parents.

 

 

~X~

 

 

Turns out, he didn’t have to wait for long to catch attention of a pedophile. He had thought that it would take him longer – days even, but he thanked any deity that heard his prayer, as he is getting hungry.  He had just taken a memory from a kid who he deemed worthy enough for him, and disguise his speech to that of a child. You know, the mispronunciation and high-pitched squeak, not that he would do the later, though. It is just a disguise to make him act more like a kid and avoid the weird stares that he would get from the adults when he talks – properly, that is. He plays in the sandbox with some other kids; all parts of his plan to make him look as innocent as possible. Many parents sit on the chairs which have been provided in the playground, watching their children play.

 

Henrikas had sensed a man hiding behind the trees for the past hour thanks to his heightened senses, and he felt giddy as his plan come to fruition. Well, it is safe to assume that man is a pervert based on his cloth – a long coat that hides his body and a hat to shield his face from the people. And the fact that he stood there, unmoving and just watch the children only solidify his guessing. _Oh, you don’t know what hit you when you fallen into my trap._ Though, Henrikas is a bit surprised that no adults noticed the shadow that looming behind the trees yet; whether they are very ignorant or didn’t see him. The half-Creature stands up and dusting away the sands from his cloth before starting to walk to the place where he knew that there is not many people gathered. His action, though, stopped by a child older than his body, but younger than his mind.

 

“He’ry? Wher you goin’?” A six-year old boy asked. Wide blue eyes were curious. His freckles showed in his face and his ginger hair mussed up – it reminded him of a Weasley, somehow. He hides his frown at the misspoken name the boy had called him.

 

“I wanna wash up. Me derty all over.” He winced at his own spoken words, as he shows the boy the slightly dirty sweatshirt.

 

“Ma Daddy says that et was dan..dang...dangrous – me not know wat that meens, but ma Daddy says lik et is bad. He says that I canot goes anywher w’thout him. That meens, yous too. Et is dangrous. Wher’s yous Daddy, He’ry? Hes not come?” The boy – Henrikas forgot his name as soon as the boy introduced himself to him, it’s not like he need to remember it anyway – is actually pretty smart for a kid, besides him anyway. And he is not a kid. Not _mentally_.

 

“Nuh-uh. My Daddy is ther. You see?” He pointed at the random stranger that he knows is not the father of the boy that question him. The boy nodded, and he continues walking, but the boy suddenly grips his hand. What now, he thought irritately. His hunger had started to make him a bit of a twitchy side; hopefully it will not explode right here, because it will not bode well for everybody. Especially him. “Wat is et?” He asked, annoyed, but still manage a broken speech like a child.

 

“Don’tcha tel yous Daddy?” Henrikas groaned inwardly.

 

“Me jus goin’ for a while.”

 

“Yea, but yous steel hafta tel yous Daddy.” He said, determine to make Henrikas take a permission to go wash himself from a stranger – not that the boy knows. “You wanna me to com wit you too?”

 

Henrikas shook his head as he sighed in resignation. The boy is very persistent. He hoped that this will be the last time he met the boy, but knowing that he would probably have to come here again to bait another victim, it is likely he would stumble upon the freckles boy again. “M’kay, I ask my _Daddy_.” Daddy. He hated that word; that was what he called James when he was a kid. He didn’t want to call another being, Dad or Daddy again. The word Daddy, brings too much painful memory in his mind.

 

The half-Creature then go in the opposite direction from the one he wanted to go, to the man he just pointed to the boy that he is his father. The man is reading a newspaper, his glasses perched on his nose with bangs covering his forehead. The brunette man looked about in his thirties and probably has kids. Henrikas walked slowly to the man as he tried to think how to settle this.

 

“ ‘Lo.”

 

The man lifted his face from the paper when he heard he spoke, smiling lightly as he folded the newspaper and put it beside him. “Hello there. What do you want, little one?”

 

He fidgeted slightly, well he needs to pretend to be a shy kid after all. “My frien’ said that yous look lik sumwan on the TV. And hes a big fan of him. So, hes told me to ask you. Ar yous him?” He asked innocently. _Come on, believe it!_

 

The man lets out a deep, hearty chuckled. “Never in my life someone tell me that I look like an actor. Who’s that friend of yours?” Henrikas pointed to the freckles boy. The man smiled as he waves to the boy and the persistent boy grins while waves back. His attention then shifted to Henrikas. “Sadly, I’m not an actor. I’m just a kindergarten teacher who comes here to take his daughter to a playground. Is that all, little one?” He asked amused.

 

“Yes. Thank yous, Mist’r.” Henrikas smiled shyly, inside he was smugly satisfied by his masquerade. “I’mma gonna go pway now.”

 

The man laughed again. “Sure, sure.” Henrikas turned on his heel before the man called back. “Next time, don’t talk to stranger, okay? It’s dangerous.”

 

Henrikas bobbed his head up and down before walking towards the freckles boy. “I is told my Daddy. Now, can me goes?” The boy grins and nodded.

 

“Yep. Thats good. Yous Daddy nice tho’, he wav at me!” The boy said. “Wanna me to com wit you?”

 

“Nuh-uh. My Daddy said that my Mummy goes to the to’let, so its okey to go ‘lone. And it’s jus ther.” The boy nodded again and Henrikas have to stop himself from running gleefully to the washroom, that will be unbecoming of him. Well, as much as he like to pretend, it is getting exhausting with all the nonsense questions from the boy. He smirks when he realised that nobody is around the washroom – that will make it all better for him. The man who is hiding behind the tree had move when he is going to the bathroom.

 

_Just a little more._ He thinks about the man who is about to kidnap him and probably do... _things_ to him, but he couldn’t care less because he knows that this is the only choice that he have. To survive. _Well, it’s not that I’ll let him do that to me._ Henrikas wiped the drool that trickle down from his mouth when he already started to  imagine the sweet and juicy taste of the meat. Well, looks like he has to roast it again, because he doesn’t have the right ingredients to make other things. Maybe he can steal some seasoning and pots from a nearby market? He stopped his musing as he stands in front of a hand washing pipe that is too high for him, his eyes fell on the book on the floor beside it. Someone must have dropped it, he thought. Crouching, he picks up the book, it was a kid’s book, if the colourful cover is any indication. He turned the book, searching for the title when his heartbeat stops.

 

_‘Le garçon riche’_

 

French. _The rich boy_ , his mind helpfully translates. Henrikas gasped in pain. He knew this sensation too well, another memory. Why the hell that he gains memory from a book?! He shook his head. No, the language – triggered it. He fell down on his knees when it is becoming painful for him to bear. His head suddenly filled with images of a man that he doesn’t know about.

 

_“Come here, jeune garçon. Open your clothes for me.” A bearded man said, his eyes filled with lust. He wears the usual wizard robe that a noble wizard usually does. “I already pay your Daddy to play with you.” He comes nearer and the boy squeaked._

_“No. No. Please, no. Don’t come near me, please.” Tears streak down from his face, begging the middle age man to stop, as he touches his body. “NO!” Suddenly, the boy was slapped by the bearded man, his face angry. Red marks started to form on the boy’s face._

_“You bitch! I pay for you and now you dare to deny me. You just a sick little fuck!” He pinned the boy down, paying no attention to the sobbing of the boy beneath him as he tore the shirt that the boy wearing. He smiled lustily as he saw the white-skin body before licking his lips. “Now be a good boy. If you are, you will not feel any pain.” He licked the boy on his cheek. “For the next week, of course.”_

_The boy just hiccupped, eyes resigned to his fate as the man pulls his pants down._

_“Your guardian said they had taught you to speak French. Let me hear it.” The boy just continued to cry before the man roughly cupped his face. “SPEAK!” He ordered._

_“O...Oui.” The man smiled horribly again._

_“Now, there’s a good boy. Let’s play, shall we?”_

_He just cried soundlessly as the man started to undress himself._

 

Henrikas retched at the memories. His face is pale and tears streaming down his face. This is the kind of memories that he had afraid the most – he knew that James had abused him, but he certainly didn’t know that the man would be so low as to sell his young body to the interested wizards and witches. The bearded man is merely one of his _customer_. He is an English wizard with a fetish for French language and  young boys...

 

The half-Creature gagged again, the man had called him a young boy throughout their... _time_. He was harsh, and Henrikas remembered that he can’t walk for days after that. _No. Why, now?_ Why did this memory come now? When he was about to bait a potential pedophile as his food? His eyes grew wide. _The man_. He turned his head to the door, searching for the sign of the stalker and sighed in relief when he saw no one. No. He can’t do this. Not now. He has to get away from this place. _Fast._ Henrikas stood shakily, thankfully none of the vomit is on his cloth, but his mind is too distracted to care. All he wanted is to get away. He didn’t care anymore about his hunger. That can wait.

 

Afraid of the possibility of the man waiting for him outside, he searched for another exit and saw a half open window. It was a bit high, but if he used the trash can as a step up, he can definitely climb over it. He immediately did so and sighed in relief when there is no one in the surrounding. As soon as his feet touch the ground, he started running. Never once he looked back. The image of the man pursuing him and got him pinned on the ground made him go faster. Fresh tears started to form in his eyes. His senses gone haywire after the emotional memory that he had just gotten. He turned left and right, already memorizing the path to the woods. He passed by some people, awares by the gazes behind his back, but he didn’t stop nor pay attention to it. He just about to turn in the corner when he ran into something – no, _someone_. The assault threw him off the ground, scraping his knee while doing so.

 

“Are you alright?” A deep, rich voice asked him. Apparently, the person he had just ran over is still standing. Whether that the person is really strong or because he is too small that the hit unaffected the said person.

 

He narrows his eyes when he saw the dark shadow looming over him, coincidentally the person’s behind is where the sun is situated, so he can’t get a clear face. But the familiar smell definitely threw him off guarded though. The scent of earth and lavender with a hint of copper – blood, permeated to his nose. Henrikas mouth opens wide as a sudden realisation hit him.

 

“Tėvas..?” He breathes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyways, so I want to ask you guys. Do you want Abigail in this story? Or do you want her to die? Or do you want her alive, but not will be in this fic? I'm okay with her, actually. And I love it if she's in the murder family fic that some authors had written. It's kind of...right, you know? So, tell me, okay? Or do you want me to do a poll whether she will be in this fic or not?
> 
> French Translations:
> 
> Le garçon riche - (The rich boy)
> 
> Jeune garçon - (Young boy)
> 
> Oui - (Yes)
> 
> Lithuanian Translations :
> 
> Tėvas - (Father)


	5. The Meeting (Part II)

Hannibal walks with calculated steps as he carried his black briefcase on his left hand.

 

He had left his office rather early that evening, having no appointment left; the last one was a man named Franklyn Froideveaux – a plump man who had been to nine other psychiatrists before him. The psychiatrist had locked his office building and proceed to go to the place where he parked his car, when a red blurry figure – a child, ran into him. The impact unaffected his sturdy body, unfortunately, not for the child. The boy had fallen down and scraped his knees while doing so, leaving the sweet scents of blood lingering in the air.

 

“Are you alright?” Hannibal asked the boy in his naturally deep voice after a moment. His eyes scanned the small form in front of him that must be about three or four years old of age, like when he was hunting – not that he would hunt and kill the boy just because he ran into him, it was just a quirk about him as a psychiatrist and a killer.

 

The boy has a silky black hair, pale milky skin and bright green eyes – the shade of green that he has never seen in someone's eyes. He wears a red hooded sweatshirt with a picture of a cute stag with the words ‘Please don’t eat me!’ and a short white-greyish pants. Hannibal wondered where the parents of this young boy, leaving a small child on their own was irresponsible.

 

The child  narrowed his eyes as the sun shines directly into his face, his eyes were red and puffy, like he had just been crying. He watched with amused when the boy sniffed at the air, the action dimly reminded him of the animals who distinguished people by smell. Green eyes widened, as the boy mouthed the word in a language that Hannibal haven’t heard for years.

 

“Tėvas..?” The small boy breathes out, leaving a small gap in his mouth. His expression turned into an unbelieving one, though the psychiatrist saw a bit of hope in his bright green eyes.

 

The dark blond-hair man stilled, unsure what to react as he stared at the jade-eyed boy. It’s been so long since he last heard his native language. _Too long_. The nostalgic feeling that he gets when the boy spoke made him deep in thought. And the fact that the boy had called him ‘father’ in Lithuanian made him curious.

 

He knew that he _never_ fathered a child, as he never touched a woman more than he needs to, not that he was inexperienced but the thought never crossed his mind. Of course, many women tried to seduce him, but he was not tempted by those hideous pigs that covered their faces with so many chemical products. And the thought of a long lasting relationship never had been appealing to him, not to mention a child. He never did like children. After all, they are loud, messy, and always need attention – like some animals that have to be taken care of. And he is _not_ fond of animals. Their fur will made his place dirty, something that he loathes as he prefers his place neat and clean. Hannibal stopped his musing as the boy said something.

 

“No way. That’s impossible.” The boy muttered under his breath, it was soft, but the psychiatrist can hear it clearly, thanks to his sensitive ears. Hannibal cocked his head slightly to one side, intrigued. It seems the boy can speak English too, which is quite an achievement for a child of his age. One of his parents must be a Lithuanian and the other, English, he mused.

 

“Do you require assistance to stand?” Hannibal asked instead, pretending not to hear what the boy had just said.

 

The boy blinked, long eyelashes fluttered slowly before he stands up and dusting away the dirt from his cloth. He rubs his eyes gently before looking at him again, probably to see clearly this time. His small face stared at him in wonder before shaking his head. The small boy’s body seemed to relax unconsciously.

 

“I’m very sorry about that Mister. I wasn’t loo – ” The boy stopped mid sentence, seeming to realise something before continuing, albeit hesitantly. “I wasn’t looking in front of me when I was running.” He finished and Hannibal noticed the thick British accent from the boy when he spoke.

 

His curiosity certainly peaked now. Not only the boy can speak in Lithuanian and English, he can speak properly too, unlike most children who always mispronounced words at that age.

 

“There was no harm done.” He eyed the red angry mark and the blood on the child’s knees. The injury was quite nasty, and he admired that the boy was not crying in pain. Though, it made him wonder why did the boy was running and crying in the first place. “Though, you should treat your knees before it gets infected.” Hannibal said, and the boy looks at his knees before licking his lips and gulping silently as he saw the blood and already forming-bruise. His green eyes flashed dangerously, no, more like... _hungrily_ before it disappeared from his face, leaving the innocent-looking face surfaced again.

 

“Would you want me to clean it for you? I have a first aid kit in my office. I can bandage your wound.” Hannibal offered without thinking, surprising himself. He didn’t know why, but the boy made him feel something familiar – something that had been buried inside him long ago. And he was really curious about this boy. “After all, it is part of my blame for your injury.” He added after a while.

 

The boy blinked, his face clearly shows confusion before the boy smiled slightly. “I – thank you for the offer, Mister. But I am sure my parents can patch me up. And I am not supposed to go anywhere with a stranger.” He replied politely, though Hannibal could see the slight longing and pain on his face when he say the word ‘parents’.

 

Hannibal twitched his lips slightly upward, an action that he rarely does, except when he is pleased or doing something that would sate his curiosity.

 

The boy is smart, the psychiatrist gives him that.

 

“Yes... that is accurate. It is dangerous for a child such as yourself to go somewhere with an unknown person. But...” The dirty blond hair man reached into his pocket, producing a clean handkerchief out of it, before lowering his body to the boy’s eye level. “At least, let me bandage your injury.” He paused when the boy gave a slight flinch when he touch his knee. “I am sorry.” Hannibal said softly as he examines the bloodied part of the leg. He gently wrapped the soft material around the wounded knee and nodded with satisfaction at his work. “You must immediately clean it after you arrived home.” He said as he stood.

 

The boy nodded and smiled shyly. “Thank you, Mister.”

 

“It is of no convenience.” He looked around. “Though, I am wondering why a smart young child such as yourself running around without adult’s company.”

 

“I am not smart.” The boy said softly and Hannibal raised his eyebrow.

 

_Modesty._

 

“The fact that you can understand my speech and responds to it with eloquent answers seemed to contradict your statement.” Hannibal’s mouth twitched upwards as the boy softly groaned.

 

This boy is an enigma. All that Hannibal can read about him seems to oppose what a child was supposed to be. The intelligent and politeness intrigued him and he wanted to know more about the boy. He admitted that it’s been a long while since he met such an interesting creature and the boy’s presence is not an unwelcome one. In fact, he almost enjoys their interaction. Perhaps it is a good thing that he comes out early from his office this evening, it almost like their meeting is meant to be.

 

The boy was about to reply when he suddenly tensed. “I – ” He looked around uncomfortably, like someone had intruded his personal space, gone was the relaxed posture. The boy seems jittery each second passing by and look like he was afraid that somebody might jump onto him.

 

“Is something the matter?” Hannibal was surprised by the pain-filled eyes the boy was showing. He seems wanted to stay, but at the same time, away from the place he’s standing at. His jade-eyed kept flickering to his left where the trees were situated.

 

“I am sorry, but I need to go now.” The boy bit his lip, before plastering an honest smiled to the psychiatrist. “Thank you, Mister. For this.” He gestured to his bandaged knee before sprinting, never giving Hannibal any chance to reply. Usually he would count that action as rude, but the sudden fear and anxious that the boy emitted makes him let this one pass by.

 

Hannibal watched in silence as the boy’s silhouette vanished from his sight. It seems that the injury didn’t bother the boy in the slightest, as he saw the small form scurried away without limping. He must have a really high tolerance of pain or he was accustomed to it, he mused. After all, it is not unknown to adult that children usually got hurt while playing.

 

He realised that the direction where the boy was headed leads to the woods. He knew there were no residents in that area, so where would he go? An ordinary person would have been alarmed if they saw a child without a guardian, had an injury and ran to the woods, but not him. If possible, it made him more curious than before.

 

_Who was that boy?_

 

The way he stands and speak, it was not like most children – _ordinary_ children. As a psychiatrist, he had learnt to observe human behaviours and habits. The boy may not realise it, but he saw the child had unconsciously relaxed in his presence, something that he had not expected from a child. He knew his height and features usually intimidate children, but this one – the one child that he had just met, takes comfort from him.

_Why is that?_

 

The longer he thinks about the jade-eyed boy, the more it piqued his curiosity. Realising that he will not get any answer, the cannibal psychiatrist walks away when he heard a voice.

 

_“Please, help him.”_

 

Hannibal paused.

 

It was a male voice, and it sounded so familiar, yet he cannot point out who. It was uncanny, but he was not unnerved by it. After all, he had heard much more bizarre things – though, this is a first time  that he heard a voice inside his head. Many people by now would have been concerned whether they have gone crazy or not, but the psychiatrist remains calm – he was more interested with the voice’s request.

 

 _‘Him’_. It must have been referred to the jade-eyed boy.

 

He looked back at the directions where the boy ran off. His brown with a hint of maroon eyes when the light reflected on it, trailed towards the narrow path that leading to the woods. Perhaps, he could meet with the boy again some day.

 

And maybe he will know who is the owner of the ‘mysterious’ voice.

 

He slowed on his tracks when his predator eyes saw something moving behind a tree – the place where the boy kept glancing at. A man wearing a long coat with a hat lurking between the trees, and it took him one look before the puzzle pieces together. By the way he kept his eyes on children who were passing by, it didn’t take a genius to figure what is he. The man is a child molester – something that Hannibal strongly repulses.

 

That is why the boy _ran_ away. The boy knew that he had been followed – _stalked_. Though, Hannibal was quite alarmed that he did not sense the man earlier – probably because he was distracted by the mysterious boy. Is that why he had been crying? Anger started to rise inside him – surprising himself. It has been long since he got angry over someone. Had the minutes he spent with the boy made him care about him?

 

No. It was not that. He was angry because it was the man’s presence that caused the boy to run away. To make him feel uncomfortable. It was not acceptable for him. It was impudent.

 

 _Rude_.

 

Hannibal’s face become impassive, wearing the mask that he always used when he was about to kill someone. He stored his briefcase in his car, before observing the man who lets himself get sidetracked seeing a small child not too far from him. The psychiatrist aware that there were no people around the man and the crowds of people were lessened as his building is situated in a place where not many people usually pass by. As soon as the psychiatrist is sure there is not someone in the surrounding area, he padded softly, out of the molester’s eye vision as he comes nearer to the said man. The unsuspecting man didn’t sense Hannibal even when the psychiatrist stands behind him.

 

Until it was too late.

 

 

~X~

 

 

Henrikas is breathing heavily when he reached the place where he took shelter at for the past weeks. The half-Creature slumped onto his ‘bed’, trying to calm his erratic heartbeats. He had practically ran all the way back to the woods without changing to his other form, which is a stupid thing to do as he is now gasping for air. It took him a moment before he started to relax and his breathing becomes normal.

 

His eyes trailed to the now blood soaked handkerchief that had been bandaged by the man he had bumped into. The soft material (silk?) felt good on his skin, but he remembered what the man had said, so he unties it gently and winced when he sees the cut looks worse than before – most probably because he was running like crazy. Thankfully, he kept his herb supply, and it didn’t take him long to bandage it again with a clean cloth after he cleans the wound.

 

The black-haired boy recalled his meeting with the man who have a smell very much like his father. He had caught by surprise when the familiar scent invades his nose and incidentally called the man ‘father’ in Lithuanian. He wasn’t sure if the man heard him or not because he couldn’t see his reaction as the sun was blinding him. Perhaps not because the man didn’t ask anything about it, he mused.

 

He mentally slapped himself for slipping out from his disguise as a child when he spoke to the stranger. He shook his head, it was too late to change anything, anyways. And it’s not like the man question why he spoke like that of an adult, if possible, the man was delighted. He knows that the  man hardly tolerated rudeness, based on his way of speaking – he had met that kind of man before. And it was _not_ a good one. But somehow, this stranger that he had met was _different_. The similar smell like his father, especially the scent of copper, strongly suggested that the stranger is a _killer_. Henrikas didn’t know why the information didn’t bother him. The stranger could have been a pervert just like the man who stalks him for all he knows, but his instinct told him that was not the case. It told him that he _can_ be trusted and that puzzled him. Never in his life, he met a person who he can instantly trust because his guts told him so. It was weird, but not unwelcome.

 

Although his scent may seem like his father, his features certainly didn’t. His father had a light blond hair, dark brown eyes and although he was tall, the man that he met was taller. The stranger has dirty blond hair and brown mixed with red eyes – making he looked like a devil in disguise walking on earth. Wearing a three piece suit, his tall stature and impassive face may look intimidating to children, but Henrikas was not frightened of him. In fact, the mere smell of the stranger comforts him, and vanished the fears of the possibly pedophile who stalk him at the playground before. That was until he noticed the pervert had followed him and hiding behind between trees, thanks to his heightened  sense of smell. Feeling uncomfortable, he ran away, forced to leave the moments of comfort that he gets from the man who offered to clean his injury. He was embarrassed actually, when the man bandaged his knee – he didn’t know why, but he felt so exposed in front of him. Like the man was reading him. Observing him.

 

_Who is he?_

 

His musing didn’t go far as his stomach grumbles loudly.

 

Henrikas sits up. Leaving the thought about the stranger from his mind as he tried to solve his hunger problem.

 

His plan had failed, and he is very _hungry_. Knowing that his poorly chosen ‘prey’ had lost within his grasp, his mind tried to form another plan. He could not afford to wallow himself in sadness and pity now, after he gained the... _unpleasant_ memories. It was bad luck, he admitted. And he cursed for all the things that the wizards and witches had done to him before – making him feel fear. He sighed as he staggered to his feet, before going in the direction where he had set traps, searching for trapped animals who will become his food for today, as he knows that he can’t go to the city back. He was exhausted and not in his full stamina, which could kill him if he is not careful.

 

The jade-eyed boy lift his head to the sky – it was sunset already. The different shade of orange mixed with red, paints through the sky, making it looks like a fire was burning on atmosphere.

 

_What should I do to survive, tėvas?_

 

But of course, his father could not answer him. He’s dead. He idly wonders whether his mother and father were watching him from above, or in a place like in the Veil. He sighed softly, resigned to his fate as he trudged along the track in the woods.

 

_Maybe I could survive a couple of days more without eating human meat._

 

 

~X~

 

 

It had been three days since his plan failed. Three days since he met the stranger who oddly smelled like his father. Three days of no human meat.

 

Last night he had sneaked into the city again, he lingered in the back alley where he was sure where the thugs always hang and spend time at. But it seems at that time, the deity abandoned him as there was no soul in sight who Henrikas can identified as criminals that night. They were all homeless people. He had been tempted to kill and eat one just to satisfy his hunger when he thought better of it. They did nothing wrong. They just didn’t have a home and family who can provide them with basic necessities, just like him – to which he chuckled bitterly at the thought.

 

Frustrated, he stole a bag from a man who Henrikas knows that he had been cheating on his wife. The man wears a ring, but he went inside a place where prostitutes gather, doing ‘business’. He didn’t know why he did that, though. Maybe he just want to piss him off? Or he tried to search for something useful from the bag? He didn’t open the bag yet, even when he comes back to the woods. Henrikas didn’t know what to think. He had eaten three rabbits, one night, but they can’t satisfy the hungers inside him. He needs to eat human meat. He needs it so _badly_. The hunger was making him mad.

 

_Somebody, Tėvas. I can’t hold the hunger much longer._

 

But of course, nobody heard his pleading. He is alone in the woods. And the nearest human settlement is about half an hour – if he ran in his half-Creature form. A burning sensation stings his eyes, and it took him a while before he realised that he was crying.

 

This is pathetic.

 

 _He_ is pathetic.

 

He remembered what GK had said about what happens when he didn’t eat.

 

_“A Creature can survive a year without eating humans, but that would probably make them insane or very sick as their insatiable hunger gnawing on their mind. A young Creature needs to eat more than an adult, because their body needs the nutrients for their growing body. They wouldn’t last than a few weeks if they didn’t eat.”_

 

The image of him turning into a crazy cannibal playing in his head.

 

“No...”

 

He doesn’t want that.

 

If he becomes like that, he cannot control his body and acts like an animal – the humans will hunt him down. He does not want that to happen. He wants to survive. Like his father told him to.

 

Henrikas writhed in agony when a spike of pain hits him in the abdomen. Because of his young body, he could not last the hunger longer than his teenager one. And he didn’t really know for sure when was the last time he ate. Perhaps it was longer than two weeks, maybe even months. He didn’t know. Didn’t remember.

 

_I’m sorry, tėvas, motė. But I didn’t think I would survive this time._

 

Henrikas always thought that he would die from the beating when James hits him or when he was hit by the Avada Kedavra spell. He never had thought that he would die from hunger. Alone. In the woods.

 

He bit his lip when another wave of pain – hunger, washed over him. He felt like he is dying. He blinked. Maybe it was better like this. If he dies, he would not turn into a crazy monster. The thought of him going insane always frightened him, a small part of him – the human part, always worry that he will be hunted by the human if he becomes crazy. Or they will try to dissect him, like in a book he had read. Humans are very curious. They try to understand as much as they can – that’s how they evolved. They think they are far superior than animals, but that is not a complete truth. And Henrikas knew this.

 

He curled on his bed in agony, resigned to his upcoming death. _Sorry, GK. I couldn’t even last a month in this world._ Henrikas imagined the guilty look on GK face, and it makes him smile. The immortal was so sure that he could survive. Maybe he was wrong. How can he – a teen-turned-kid, can survives on his own? His body certainly made his hunts becoming difficult.

 

The night is silent, tonight. No usual hooting from the owls or the sounds of the insects accompany him. Henrikas was about to close his eyes when he smells something.

 

A very faint scent of blood permeated his sensitive nose, instantly making his eyes widened in surprised. _What was that?_ He stands up shakily looking like he was about to fall, but the smell of a possible food made him stay on his feet. Changing to his partial form, he gasped as the smell hits him strongly than before. He knows this smell.

 

It was human’s blood.

 

A _fresh_ human’s blood.

 

Human’s blood has a distinct smell from animals. The scent of the copper was more thick and heavy. And depending on the person, the taste is different. Some are bland, some are sweet and there is even bitter taste.

 

Henrikas licked his lips.

 

That means there is a human somewhere in the area. Henrikas drools as the scent getting stronger as he walks in the darkness. He noticed that the place where the smell comes from leads him to the main road, and he proceeds with caution though, he did it horribly, as the hunger made him think unclearly. He crept silently as he saw the familiar tar-road, green-eyes glinted in the darkness as he tried to see.

 

His eyes stopped at the unmoving body on the side road.

 

The pooling blood stained the grey-coloured road. Henrikas comes nearer to the person which he identified as a female – as male and female have different scent. He noticed the skidded tyre and it clicked his mind. An accident. A hit and run accident. Though, he wonders why was the female is in the middle of a road in the middle of a night. It was quite a walk to the city from here, he mused.

 

Henrikas shrugged. At least, he gets a food. Don’t question anything that benefits you, he remembered his father once said when he was young. It is true. Maybe it is better if he did not ponder where did the woman come from. The half-Creature crouched next to the body, feeling relieved when he felt no heartbeat before he grins.

 

“Thank you.” He said to no one particular. He was grateful for the food.

 

Although he was weakened by the hunger, the boy managed to find the strength to drag the corpse with his small body. Even in a near death experience, he refused to eat human meat raw – after the Potters had fed him raw meat throughout his abduction. He may be a cannibal, but he is a quarter human too. And the thought of eating it raw seems barbarians and uncivilised – both something that he did not like.

 

Engrossed with the work of hauling the dead body, he never noticed the trace of the blood from the dragging.

 

 

~X~

 

 

Hannibal had just finished his work outside the city and is driving home when he sees something off on the road. He slows his car as he saw stained of red on the road – a pool of blood. He stopped the car and his theory was proved right when he was hit by the strong smell of copper as he exited from his car.

 

He looked around, the blood was there, but no body in the nearby area. His curiosity piqued when he saw the clearly sign of a body – human, was dragged, leading it to the woods. His eyes trained on the small footprint of blood besides the pool of blood. The psychiatrist suddenly remembered his meeting with the mysterious boy several days ago. The jade-eyed boy ran to the woods too. Hannibal doesn’t really believes in coincidence, but the probability of the boy had a connection to this is high. And the small footprints seems to solidify his theory.

 

The question is, where had the boy – assuming that it was the same boy who had bumped into him – had gone? And why would he dragged a person into the woods?

 

He cocked his head aside, the silent sound of the night and the growing darkness may look eery to somebody else, but not him. He looked back at his car that was parked on the side of the road, before taking the keys and light in his car and put in his pocket on the coat.

 

He stared at the never ending sight of trees in front of him, before taking a step into the woods, following the blood trails with the emergency torchlight in his hand. Not that he would need the light, as the moonlight tonight shines brighter – making him easier to see in the darkness.

 

Hannibal wonders where the trails will lead him to. Though, he was sure that by the end of the trail, he will meet the jade-eyed boy again.

 

With a dead body in tow.


End file.
